Husqvarna Recoil Starter Handle

This Husqvarna starter handle is the pull grip on the end of the starter rope on Husqvarna recoil starters. Handles crack from being dropped and slammed back, and once one breaks the rope can whip back into the housing and leave you with a saw you can't start.

Why handles break

On the job, saws get started on the ground, on a stump, off a tailgate and in cold weather. Letting the rope snap back, or a hard drop on the handle side, eventually cracks the grip. A broken handle can also chew through the rope where it exits.

If the handle is cracked, sharp or spinning loose, swap it before it fails in the field.

A good handle also makes starting easier and safer. A cracked handle can pinch your glove or snap mid-pull, and a worn handle with a loose knot can let go and send the rope into the housing. On saws you start often, such as climbing saws and ground saws used for limbing and bucking, a new handle every season or two is reasonable. They are inexpensive, so keep one in the saw kit with a spare length of rope.

Fitting a new handle

Pull the rope out, hold tension on the recoil so it doesn't retract, and feed the rope through the new handle. Tie a firm knot and seat it in the handle pocket. Check the rope too. If it is frayed, replace it at the same time.

Always let the rope rewind under control rather than letting go. More starter parts, including ropes, pulleys and springs, are in our Husqvarna parts section.